News

Darren Kuhn has collected many stories in his career as a recreation safety warden, along with a strong desire for people to stay safe while having fun. Kuhn, who works for the state Department of Natural Resources, recently spoke to the Manitowoc County Lakes Association during a meeting in Manitowoc.

Gene Weyer, water quality testing director and former president of the Manitowoc County Lakes Association, displayed graphs of phosphorous levels on 16 area lakes to those gathered at the association’s Feb. 21 meeting.

April 4, 2017. In a boost to diversify Lake Michigan fishing opportunities, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will reintroduce Skamania steelhead into the Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan over the next three to five years.

Dave Giehtbrock, DNR fisheries propagation section chief, said the Skamania strain is particularly prized because it may reach 32 inches and 12 pounds at age five - larger than other strains. Read the full article on the Wisconsin DNR website.

About the Skamania summer­run steelhead:
This strain was developed at the Skamania hatchery in the state of Washington. Wisconsin originally obtained eggs from Indiana, but we now take eggs from adults returning to our streams. The spawning migration (known as “the run”) begins in late June and early July. The good stream fishing doesn’t begin until the water temperatures start to cool, usually in mid‐September. Spawning occurs from mid‐December through mid‐March with the peak occurring in January and February. The majority of spawning fish are four and five year olds. Four year old fish average 28 inches and 8 pounds while five year old fish average 32 inches and 12 pounds.

Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third-largest by surface area. Lake Michigan is shared by Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The word “Michigan” originally referred to the lake itself, and is believed to come from the Ojibwa word mishigami meaning “great water.”

Interested in Lake Michigan levels?

Try the interactive Great Lakes Dashboard Project at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL).

Lake Michigan Photo Gallery

Lake Michigan News

Darren Kuhn has collected many stories in his career as a recreation safety warden, along with a strong desire for people to stay safe while having fun. Kuhn, who works for the state Department of Natural Resources, recently spoke to the Manitowoc County Lakes Association during a meeting in Manitowoc.

Gene Weyer, water quality testing director and former president of the Manitowoc County Lakes Association, displayed graphs of phosphorous levels on 16 area lakes to those gathered at the association’s Feb. 21 meeting.

April 4, 2017. In a boost to diversify Lake Michigan fishing opportunities, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will reintroduce Skamania steelhead into the Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan over the next three to five years.

Dave Giehtbrock, DNR fisheries propagation section chief, said the Skamania strain is particularly prized because it may reach 32 inches and 12 pounds at age five - larger than other strains. Read the full article on the Wisconsin DNR website.

About the Skamania summer­run steelhead:
This strain was developed at the Skamania hatchery in the state of Washington. Wisconsin originally obtained eggs from Indiana, but we now take eggs from adults returning to our streams. The spawning migration (known as “the run”) begins in late June and early July. The good stream fishing doesn’t begin until the water temperatures start to cool, usually in mid‐September. Spawning occurs from mid‐December through mid‐March with the peak occurring in January and February. The majority of spawning fish are four and five year olds. Four year old fish average 28 inches and 8 pounds while five year old fish average 32 inches and 12 pounds.

The rule takes into account current lake trout populations including the reestablishment of natural reproduction in some refuge areas and is not expected to affect long-term restoration efforts, said Brad Eggold, Great Lakes district fisheries supervisor for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The new five fish daily bag limit was developed following an extensive angler engagement process that included seven public meetings with total attendance of 500.

"Based on the comments from our stakeholders, we believe increasing the daily bag limit from two to five lake trout will create welcome new recreational opportunities while also addressing concerns about the ratio of predators to prey in the lake," Eggold said. Other provisions of the new rule:

Count the five fish daily lake trout limit as part of the overall five trout and salmon combined daily bag limit.

Maintain closure of refuges, which are supporting some natural reproduction.

March 1, 2017—The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board today approved an emergency rule regarding bag limits and season length on lake trout for Lake Michigan. The rule increases lake trout daily bag limits to five 10" fish on Lake Michigan waters with open season from March 1–Oct 31. The previous limit was two fish.